Autism in Schools - Crisis or Challenge - Essay Example

Autism in Schools - Crisis or Challenge Introduction Although there are a number of other developmental disorders, autism is unique in numerous ways. First, this disorder has no apparent biological reason, unlike many other developmental disorders such as mental retardation, deafness, blindness, and aphasia. Without a concrete evaluation, the diagnosis of and prognosis for autism is full with doubt. This vagueness makes it very hard for parents to accept the child’s condition. Second, because it is characterized by difficulties with social interaction, such as developing attachments and showing affection, parents of children with autism are often deprived of some of the essential rewards of parenthood. As a result, autism has been deemed as one of the most complex and difficult developmental disorders with which families might have to deal with and family members of such children are often perceived to experience negative psychological effects (Reid & Lee 1999). Coping with traumatic situations that are outside one’s control is one of the biggest challenges of life. With no chance of lessening or eradicating the causes of stress, such circumstances require tactics where one transforms the self to fit the situation. Understanding the ways of family coping is extremely significant, as these are essential to cognitive paradigms of stress and coping often applied to families of children with disabilities. Interventions concentrating on parents’ coping skills have demonstrated positive results. These interventions use notions from stress and coping theories to enlighten parent training in problem solving and decision-making, communication skills, skills in contacting and making use of social networks, and coping techniques such as encouraging self-statements, self-praise and relaxation (Gupta & Singhal 2005). A number of factors effect families’ experience of having a young individual with certain mental, emotional or physical disability and it is significant to keep in mind the distinctive requirements of each family, when deciding on the type of support being provided. Cultural values, financial requirements, available resources, level of the disability, amount of social support, family structure, and geographic location are all factors to consider in formulating and implementing effective intervention programmes. All or any of these factors can improve or restrict the success of a programme and emphasize the need for individualization. Thus the amount and kind of support should be suitable for the needs of the individual family unit (Gupta & Singhal 2005). Research suggests that the number of children being red-flagged with autism is increasing. This rising occurrence might be to some extent due to improved assessment techniques or better understanding of autism and pervasive developmental disorders and of behaviors of autistic children. This disturbing increase in the number of children evidently requires for additional services to fulfill the needs of these children and their families (Barnard, et al. 2002). From the developmental systems perspective, children are members of numerous interacting systems. Those systems are created and are implemented by sociocultural beliefs. Vygotsky, in relation to people with developmental disabilities, suggested that the various aspects of development are not different for people with mental retardation or other disabilities. He considered collaboration as vital for the growth of enhanced psychological processes, and emphasized the importance of children collaborating in a diverse group (Vygotsky, 1993). Parent involvement in the intervention programmes is increasing in the contemporary world. This technique has proven to be successful in educating parents to teach numerous skills to their children, especially play and communication skills. Increasing participation of parents at this stage, by providing more information and incorporating them in child’s education programme not only develops the child’s skills but is also influential in strengthening faith in their own abilities. Collaboration between families and schools further supports the dominant role of parents in their children’s education and therefore, provides good interventions for the children. This approach suggests that the child and family characteristics are imperative in crafting interventions and providing suggestions when problems arise (Barnard, et al. 2002). Researchers have illustrated huge progress in children’s social skills, due to a collaborative approach. Families of autistic children are not only integrated in intervention through parent education programmes, but they are also thought to be important participants in their children’s special education group. This approach promotes the amount of coordination between children, their families, agencies, and educational institutions (Dunlop, MacKay & Knott 2003). Collaboration among parents and professionals sees the young person and the family in the wider environmental perspective. Parents might seek professional help from individuals who have the expertise in working with the children with disabilities to determine the best services for their children. However, since each child is a part of a wider family system, it is essential to think about the socio-cultural environment when assessing the needs of individuals and their families and in developing effective intervention programmes. Thus, individuals or groups offering support must think about the specific needs of each family to give helpful support for families having disabled children (Whitaker 2002). Bringing up a child with autism offers unique challenges to families. Receiving a diagnosis of autism and accepting a lifelong responsibility of bringing up a child with autism is a painful experience for the parents. Bringing up a child with autism is an all-encompassing job that is generally exhausting and isolating. It is essential to note how families cope with issues of sorrow, loss, marriage strain, stigma and humiliation in order to give psychosocial support to the families of children with autism (Gupta & Singhal 2005). Review of Literature Smith, Rowlandson and Bohane (2010) examined autistic spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in order to develop an inter-agency service for children and their families and schools. The research suggests that a variety of government programs promote increased shared working between agencies to guarantee that holistic and harmonized evaluation of need, and combined intervention is accessible to children and families. The research brought together method for evaluation and diagnosis of autistic spectrum problems and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and the synchronization of intervention among schools, families and the community. Edwards (2009) studied the opinions possesses by special educators along with the individuals in the areas of psychology, medicine and social work to understand the features of autism spectrum disorders, behavior management paradigms, autism interventions and parent support programs. The research promotes positive social behavior of children with autism where parents and educators come together to solve behavioral issues in the school and society in general. The behavior intervention paradigm that is used provides a realistic and naturalistic method of teaching students suitable behavior. Sheffield Information Giving Network (2009) provided with a factsheet that included information regarding expert support for Pre-school children with special educational needs and disabilities. The article suggested that all those working with children with special educational needs and disabilities have the same opinion that the earlier children get the support they need the better the results for the family. All agencies working with young children recognize the need to work closely together to make sure that the services provided to families are well coordinated. Bellini, Peters, Benner and Hope (2007) studied social skills programs being taught in educational settings. A meta-analysis of 55 single-subject design studies was carried out to generate a few generalizations about successful treatments programs as they are at present being delivered in schools. Bellini et al. restate that there is only minimal indication that social skills training programs are successful for children in general, let alone for those for whom social deficit is the central characteristic. Myers and Johnson (2007) studied the management of children with autism spectrum disorder. The research suggests that pediatricians have a significant part not only in early detection and assessment of autism but also in constant management of these disorders. The major goals of treatment are to make the most of the child's ultimate functional independence and quality of life by diminishing the main autism spectrum disorder characteristics, aiding development and learning, encouraging social interaction, lessening maladaptive behaviors, and educating and supporting families. Schieve et al. (2007) investigated the relationship between looking after a child with autism and stress markers. The answers of parents or other informed individuals were brought together in the Aggravation in Parenting Scale. Parents of children having autism were contrasted with parents of children with special health care requirements consisting of emotional, developmental, or behavioral issues other than autism that required treatment and children with special health care needs without developmental problems; and children without special health care needs. The results of the study indicated that parents having autistic children were expected to have greater aggravation in contrast to the other parents under the study. The parents of children with autism and current special help requirements were expected to have greater aggravation as compared to the parents of the other groups in the research. Thus, looking after a young person with autism with current special service requirements appears to be related with distinctive stresses. Gupta and Singhal (2005) illustrate the amount of stress and coping techniques used by families having autistics children. Variations in the stressors perceived and coping techniques assumed by the different members of the family of an autistic child suggests that mothers have a greater effect as compared to fathers of their child’s autism. The authors further emphasize the importance of providing psychosocial support to the families of children with autism. Furthermore, the research suggests that it is extremely important for parents, educational institutions and the community to work together to achieve the desired outcomes. Barnard, Broach, Potter and Prior (2002) investigated autism in educational institutions. For this purpose, a survey was conducted in seven local education authorities (LEAs) in the United Kingdom. The sample population included 132,646 students across United Kingdom. The results of the survey indicated that the number of children with autism spectrum disorders throughout the educational setting in Britain surpassed current occurrence rates. Whitaker (2002) explored a program that offered support to the families of preschool autistic children in the United Kingdom. The researcher interviewed parents of the autistics children when they started full-time education and were not a part of the project anymore. The findings in relation the amount of contentment with the service given and parents’ reactions to the various aspects of the support revealed that the project proved to be quite useful. Parents predominantly appreciated the support to make sense of their child’s development and needs; useful techniques for enhancing language and participating in interactive play; and support to the nurseries and playgroups attended by their children. Gregor and Campbell (2001) investigated the thoughts of teachers in Scotland to the inclusion of autistic children into mainstream schools. This study gathered views of 23 expert and 49 mainstream teachers. Only a small number of mainstream teachers thought children with autism should be included in mainstream schools. A number of teachers showed concerns about influences on mainstream students but most were ready to take on more training. Expert teachers were more optimistic, although they accepted potential drawbacks for both factions of children and emphasized that the success of mixing depends on each child. Statement of Issue for the Critical Investigation The present research focuses on the family-professional relationships in primary schools which serve families with young children having behavioral problems, more specifically, autism disorder. The research emphasizes on the significance of primary schools support for families who have children with autism disorder. Methods A practitioner who works with young children in schools was used as a participant for the present research. A structured interview with the practitioner was conducted in order to collect data for the study. Interviews are generally used in studies that explore the relationships of families and children with disabilities with schools. There were two benefits of collecting data using an interview method. First, using individual interview to collect information on practitioner’s experi­ences offered comprehensive and detailed information (Bogdan & Biklen 2007). Second, the interview method permitted the researcher and participant to interact (Mitchell & Jolley 2001). Thus, one-on-one interview with the practitioner was useful in obtaining detailed informa­tion. The interview guide comprised of 7 open-ended questions. During the interview, the researcher probed the practitioner to be specific and provide in-depth information. In order to conduct the interview written permission was granted by the tutor and the interviewee. Furthermore, permission was also obtained for the interview to be audio taped. Plan for Analysis A coding system was established to analyze the interview data. The research­er studied the interview record and looked for common themes. Using the constant comparative method as described by Glaser and Strauss (1967), categorizes were established. If any of the information did not fit in any of the categories, new categories were made. Ethics The adherence to ethics is extremely significant during research in order to up hold the integrity of the research being conducted. There were numerous ethical issues involved in the present research which were addressed accordingly. Firstly, written permission was requested from both the tutor and the interviewee to conduct the research. The interviewee was asked to sign a consent form which indicated that he or she was participating in the research on their own free will (Resnik 2010). As the interviewee has the right to know the aim of the research being conducted and the use of the results, therefore, the interviewee was clarified the purpose of the research along with the use of the results (Resnik 2010). The consent form also gave the interviewee the right to withdraw him or herself and/or the information provided anytime during or after the research. According to the Data Protection Act of 1998, the name of the participant along with the data collected was kept private and confidential so that the rights of the participant were not violated at any point during the research (Resnik 2010). Findings The participant of the study suggested that the relationship between family and professional in primary schools which serve families with young children having autism disorder was extremely significant. The interviewee emphasized on the importance of primary schools support for families who have children with autism disorder. Based upon the practitioner’s responses, five themes were developed for the purpose of analysis; autism and the school environment, school support for children having autism and their families, inter-agency collaboration for supporting children with autism and their families, types of support provided for children having autism and their families by the schools and recommendations to improve children with autism in schools. Autism and the school environment The practitioner included in the study suggested that behavioral problems in children exhibit a stable pattern of aggressive, negative or troublesome behavior towards oneself or towards the society. The interviewee suggested that child behavior problems are sometimes due to behavior disorders, many of which start during early childhood. Among these disorder is autism which is a permanent behavior disorder that starts at a young age. Autism in children typically starts between the age of 1 year and three years. The practitioner reported that: Autism is a lasting behavior disorder that starts in childhood. The warning signs include; compulsive behavior, echolalia (recurring use of a word or phrase), impaired social relations, language disorders and ritualistic behavior. Regarding autism and the school environment, the interviewee indicated that it was common for children with autism to be placed in special needs school rather than regular public schools by their parents. The reason behind this is that many of the instructors are trained to deal with students with autism. On the other hand, some parents feel that by placing children in mainstream classroom environment with other children will elicit positive behavior and promote learning in an autistic child. The practitioner reported that: The idea behind placing children with autism is that the autistic students will learn both educational and social skills from non-autistic students. Furthermore, it will also help in avoiding separating the children with autism from other children. School support for children having autism and their families The respondent suggested that the school support for children having autism and their families was extremely significant. Similarly, it will reduce the amount of stress that the parents feel while looking after their autistic children. The practitioner during the interview reported that: School can work together with the parents to recognize their child’s autism, develop communication skills and implement practical approaches to deal with their child’s behavior. Furthermore, school support for autistic children will also help relieve certain amount of stress from the parents. Inter-agency collaboration for supporting children with autism and their families Parents, schools and agencies have to increase mutual working relationships to maximize outcomes. The practitioner during the interview reported that: Parents and the community have to contribute in educational planning, goals and interventions. Shared goals and strategies among parents, schools and community are mainly helpful in areas such as communication, social skills and in dealing with challenging behavior. Furthermore, schools work in partnership with agencies that specialize in behavioral disorders among children to improve their planning and strategies for children having autism. Types of support provided for children having autism and their families by the schools There are different types of supports provided by the schools for children having autism and their families. All public schools have to provide parents with Individualized Education Plans (IEP) that concentrate on the students’ current developmental level. Furthermore, schools can provide family members with information regarding autism from the professional literature in an organized and easy format which can facilitate them in applying various aspects of learning to education and management. The practitioner reported that: Nowadays schools provide specialized training programmes for teachers and school personnel to allow them to fulfill the needs of autistic children. Furthermore, schools appoint expert educational psychologists and special needs examiners who can offer guidance to schools on issues associated with children with behavioral problems such as autism. Similarly, they also support the families of such children by providing them information and management techniques that help them deal with their children in a better way. Recommendations to improve children with autism in schools Regarding the measures that need to be taken in order to improve the children with behavioral problems at school, the interviewee suggested that schools should work together with parents, the community and professionals dealing with such disorders. The interviewee suggested that: Family is the key player in the development and implementation of educational programs for children with autism; therefore, it is important for schools to work in collaboration with the family and other specialized institutions to better meet the needs of children facing behavioral disorders. Discussion The relationship between families and school is critical in supporting children with behavioral disorders (Epstein & Sanders, 2000; Henderson & Mapp, 2002). The findings of the study indicated that practitioners considered the collaboration of schools, family members and the community to enhance the functioning of children having autism or any other behavioral disorder both in school and the society in general. The practitioner in the study suggested that schools supported children with autism or other behavioral disorders and their families in a number ways and recommended certain measures to enhance the functioning of such children in the school environment. Autism is a permanent developmental disorder that greatly influences young children in their emotional, social and mental development (Reid & Lee 1999). The basic attributes that have to be there for the identification of autism are impaired reciprocal social interaction, impaired communication or repetition of common phrases known as echolalia and restricted activities and other interests (Reid & Lee 1999). Research shows that early educational intervention encourages the long-term growth of communication and social skills (Reid & Lee 1999; Sheffield Information Giving Network 2009). All autistics children are unique individuals and require careful consideration to decide on the most appropriate educational setting (Reid & Lee 1999). Schools catering to students with special needs and homeschooling offer complete control of the environment and total focus and course of treatment for the autistic child. On the other hand, mainstream public schools also offer autistics children with an environment where they can interact with normal children and develop their social skills. In the study conducted by Gregor and Campbell (2001) only a few mainstream teachers thought that children with autism should be placed in mainstream schools. On the other hand, expert teachers were more encouraging, although they recognized potential difficulties for both groups of children and emphasized that the effectiveness of integration relies on the individual child (Gregor and Campbell 2001). In regards to the support for children having autism and their families, schools take numerous measures to educate and help autistic children. School support for children having autism and their families is extremely significant (Gupta and Singhal 2005). The reason behind this is that children with autism frequently come across numerous challenges during their school years (Gupta and Singhal 2005). By supporting the autistic children and their families, school personnel can play a critical role in helping the children succeed at school and the society in general (Gupta and Singhal 2005). Furthermore, school can work together with the parents to understand their child’s autism, enhance communication skills and implement practical strategies to manage their child’s behavior (Edwards 2009). Inter-agency collaboration for supporting children with autism and their families is extremely significant in order to achieve the desired outcome. Edwards (2009) supports constructive social behavior of children with autism in situations where parents and school personnel work together to resolve behavior related problems in the school and the society in general. An increasing number of agencies are working in collaboration to make certain that holistic and synchronized appraisal of need and joint intervention is offered to children and families (Smith, Rowlandson and Bohane 2010). Parents, schools and agencies that specialize in behavioral disorders among children need to working together to achieve the desired outcomes (Edwards 2009). Thus, a shared move would improve learning for the child (Edwards 2009). Schools provide children having autism and their families with different types of support mechanisms. For this purpose, they develop IEP (Individualized Education Plan) that assesses the child's specific needs throughout the year and design classroom activities accordingly along with special training programmes for teachers to deal with difficulties of autism (Miller 2006). Most school with high quality autism programs also have other therapies available as well, such as occupational or speech therapy (Miller 2006). Furthermore, it is important for the schools to offer support to autistic children so that the pressures the families undergoes in rearing up an autistic child can be relieved (Miller 2006). Similarly, schools employ specialist educational psychologists who offer guidance to educational institutions on issues relating to children with behavioral problems such as autism (Miller 2006). Schools also provide family members with information regarding autism which can help them implement numerous aspects of learning to teaching and management (Gupta and Singhal 2005). Most importantly, school personnel can provide family member with compassion, a listening ear, and basic problem solving either through individual sessions or group work (Schieve et al. 2007). Regarding the different measures that need to be undertaken in order to enhance the functioning of autistic children in school, schools need to work increase parent and community involvement while dealing with such disorders Edwards (2009). Furthermore, schools should arrange special educational programs for the families of children having behavioral problems to inform them regarding various issues related to behavioral problems including autism. Moreover, schools need to seek help from specialized institutions or individuals dealing with behavioral problems such as autism in children to better understand the related issues and plan the school and classroom strategies accordingly (Miller 2006). Conclusion Autism being a life-long development disorder requires early intervention to promote the longer-term development of communication and social skills. Schools need to offer appropriate support to such children so they can develop and grow into successful human beings. Schools should support the family members of the autistic children as well so that they can understand the difficulties parents go through and help them cope with the disorder of their child most effectively. Furthermore, as parents are a key component in the development and growth of their children, therefore, it is extremely important that different parts of the community to work together to meet the needs of autistic children. Schools should collaborate both with the parents and the community to maximize outcomes. The most successful interventions are synchronized across the home, school and community. 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